Coil handling device



July 1, 1958 Filed March 6, 1956 F. SHERRIFF COIL HANDLING DEVICE FIG. I

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

FRED SHERRIFF ATTYS.

y 1953 F. SHERRIFF COIL HANDLING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 6,1956 INVENTOR.

FRED SHERRIF'F BY Wm ATTYS.

July 1, 1958 F. SHERRIFF ,COIL HANDLING DEVICE Filed March 6, 1956 4Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

FRED SHERRIF'F ATTYS.

FIG. 3

F. SHERRIFF COIL HANDLING DEVICE;

July 1, 1958 Filed March 6, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

FRED SHERRIFF ATTY S.

Patented July 1, 1958 con. HAYDLING DEVICE Fred Sherrilf, HickoryCorners, Mich assignor to Clark Equipment Company, -Buchanan, Mich., acorporation of Michigan Application March 6, 1956," Serial No. 569,843

8 Claims. (Cl. 214-620) The present invention relates to a coil handlingdevice, and is more particularly concerned with a pivoted expandable ramadapted for attachment to the lift carriage of a conventional fork lifttruck to transport a group of wire coils fromplace to place.

Briefly, the prong or ram of the present invention is hinged to the liftcarriage of a fork lift truck. The prong or ram is provided with meansto lock it in a lower horizontal position, and preferably with its axisaxially aligned with the open centers of a group of wire coils. Uponforward movement of the truck, the prong or ram may be inserted into theopen centers of the coils. Mechanism at the outer or free end of the ramis then extended to prevent the series of coils from passing ofi theouter end of the ram. By then releasing the lock means holding the ramin its horizontal position and elevating the lift carriage of the lifttruck, the stack of coils may ultimately be disposed with the axisthereof substantially vertically or perpendicular. The load of coils insuch vertical position may then be transported by movement of the truckto a point, for example, over the annealing stern of an annealingfurnace, which latter may typically be located in a. pit below thefloorsupporting the truck. The annealing furnace has a verticallymovable loading platform, and with the lift truck and vertical stack ofcoils positioned as described, by retracting or releasing United StatesPatent OllFlCfi the mechanism at the outer end of the ram, the load ofcoils may be disposed on the loading platform, whereby upon lowering ofthe platform the coils will be shipped from the prong or ram andpositioned about the annealing steml It will be obvious that by carryingout the above operations in reverse order that a stack of coils may betransferred from the annealing stem to the ram and transported to aplace of storage. I v

The present invention is concerned with the mechanism or coil retainingmeans at the free end of the ram for preventing the series of coils frompassing off the end of the ram, and particularly with the means foroperating such mechanism.

Broadly, the present invention contemplates the provision of a prong orram having coil retaining means expandable from an effective diameterless than, to an effective diameter greater than, the diameter of theopening in a wire coil or the like.

Specifically, one of the features of the present invention resides in acoil or ram characterizedby the provision of hydraulically actuatedmechanism for actuating the coil retaining means.

Another feature of the present invention resides in the particular meansemployed between the hydraulic mechanism and the coil retaining meansfor operation of the latter.

Other features and advantages of the. invention will in part be obviousand in part will hereinafter appear, and they consist, generally, in thefeatures of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement ofparts, which be exemplified in the construction to be described and ofwhich the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown the preferredillustrative embodiment of the present invention:

Figure l is a perspective view of a fork lift truck with the prong orram of the present invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a lift truck employing the prong orram of the present invention, this view showing one stage of thetransposition of a series of coils from a horizontal position to avertical position;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a lift truck and the ram of thepresent invention, showing the series of coils disposed in a verticalposition with the nose of the ram in engagement with the annealing stemof an annealing furnace;

Figure 4 is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section ofthe ram of the present invention, it being noted that the ram is in whatwould normally be in its vertical position with respect to the bracketsattaching it to the lift truck;

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of the prong or ram of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a plan view of certain linkage mechanism of the ram of thepresent invention, this view being taken, substantially along the line66 of Figure 4; and

Figure 7 is a plan view of the hydraulic cylinder assembly and certainother linkage mechanism of the ram of the present invention, this viewbeing taken substantially along the line -77 of Figure 4.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, there is there shown a knowntype of commercial lift truck 1, having the usual uprights 2 at theforward end thereof in which vertically operates the usual lift carriage3.

The pivoted expandable ram 4 is supported on the lift carriage 3 bybrackets 5, that may be secured to the carriage in any suitable orpreferred manner. The rain 4 is pivoted adjacent one end between thebrackets 5 on a pivot pin or shaft 6 for pivotal movement from ahorizontal to a vertical position. To provide for holding the ram 4 in ahorizontal position when picking up coils of wire from the storage area,the rearward extension 4a of the ram is provided with the recess 7 forreceiving a locking pin 8, which operates in a slot 9 formed in thebrackets 5. Locking pin 8 may be manually operated for unlocking ram 4from brackets 5, or it may be hydraulically actuated from the truckoperators seat for that purpose. Preferably, the pin and recess are sodesigned that the pin 8 will automatically engage in recess 7 uponmovement of the ram from its vertical to its horizontal position.

Ram 4 comprises, essentially, a hollow metal tube, within which, andadjacent the pin 6, is disposed a hydraulic cylinder 1% A pin 11anchored in the walls of the tube passes through a bracket 12 suitablysecured to the rear end of the cylinder to support the latter in thetube. The piston rod 13 of the cylinder has a piston or block assembly14 clamped thereto at 15 for actuation thereby. Piston or block assembly14 is guided in the tube 4 by three shoes 16, each of which ispositioned in a recess in the piston and is normally biased to the innersurface of the wall of the tube by springs 17 confined between thepiston 14 and shoe 16.

At its forward face, piston 14 has one end of a pair of links 18-19suitably secured thereto, while the opposite end of links 18-19 receivetherebetween one end of a link 20, a pin 21 pivotally connecting thethree links together. The opposite end of link 21 is pivotally connectedby a pin 22 to a shoe 23.

Shoe 23 constitutes the coil retaining means at the scribed.

outerend of the ram for preventing passageof the coils thereof] Thisshoe is in the general form of an obtuseangled triangle and in its.inoperative position nestles within aslot 24 formed in tube 4.Inthispconnection, it

will be noted'that link 20, 'for the jgreaterportion of its length isalso positioned in slot 24; Theforward end of the shoe is curvedslightly "outwardlygasj indicated at i 23a; for'engagement under thelowermost or' outermost coil positioned on the ram. The apex of the shoepro- 'jects outwardly of slotg24 and is'pivotally' connected at 25rdan'extension 26 formed on a rib27. ,Rib 27 extends along the outersurface of the tube {for themajor portion thereof and is pivoted on apin outwardly directed stop member 30 is formed on'the end vof rib 27 toprevent the coils from sliding onto brackets '5 when the ram isin ahorizontal position.

' Externally of tube 4, and positioned within the channel portion oi rib27' adjacent the links 18 19, is a link 31' having one end pivoted on apin 32 carried by a bracket 7 r f 2,841,30k r and 2 and thereafterpivotal movement of shoes 23 is effected by ribs 27 and its 'associatedoperating-linkage.

' ing furnace, it is to be observed that it is not contemplated 33suitably secured to the outer surface of tube 4. One 7 end of link 31'isreceived between the ends of a pair of links 3435, to which it issuitably secured, as by welding. The other. ends of links 34-35 have, aroller 36 journaled therein at.37. V I V v V 'It will be noted thatlink'31 carries a triangularly shaped portion defining a cam 38 This camextends through a slot 39 in tube 4 andis positioned between the links1819 in the path of a roller or cam follower 40, which is pivotallyjournaled'at 41in the links 18-19. Upon actuation of hydraulic cylinder10, cam follower 40 cooperates with ltwill be understood that there arethree'each of the abovez sh'oes 23, ribs 27 and the interconnectinglinkage mechanisms above described, on the tube 4, all adapted tooperatesimultaneously upon actuation of hydraulic cylinder 10.

In operation of the device, the fork truck operatorjwill 'fir st lockthe ram 4 in its horizontal position through the-medium of the recess 7andlocking pin 8. The ram 'may then be raised or lowered relative to theuprights 2 cam 38 in a manner hereinafter demay be carried out inreverse order,'that is, the'truck and I 'to .axiallyalign it with thebore of the plurality of wire coils 42 that 'are to 'be transported andplaced in the annealing furnace 43. The lift truck lfis then'drivenforward to position the ram 4 in the'bore of the coils. By thenactuating hydraulic cylinder 10, links 18-3-19 and 20 are movedlongitudinally'of tube 4'to initially start swinging the three shoesfrom the slots 24 about their pivots 25. At such time as links 20 arecompletely positioned in slots '24, cam followers or rollers 40contactearns 38 on links 31. At such time, continued advancement of links 18 19and 20 will cause the shoes 23 to continue to pivot about their pivots25, and at the same time the cam followers 40 rolling along-the inclinedsurfaces 38a of'cams 38 will cause the links 31 to swing outwardly abouttheir pivots 32; Such outward swinging of links 31 transmitted to ribs27 by the roller or I cam 36, which rollsalong a rib 44 on the rib 27,'thus causing the rib 27 to swing about its pivot 28. Suchoutwardswinging movement of shoes 23,'links '31 and ribs 27; continuesun'tilroller 36 contacts: the curved portion 44a of rib 44, which actsas a stop to limit outward swinging of rib 27. Upon contact'o'f roller36 with the curved portion 44a of rib 44, the ribs'27 will be fullyexpanded, with the curved portion 23a of shoe 23 engaged beneath whatwill be the lowermost coil of wirewhen the ram iseIeVated to a verticalposition. I V

It will be observed from the foregoing that initial pivotal movement ofshoes 23 is effected by links 18, 19

v p l and downwardly moyable' lift carriage,of ram means comprising inicombin'ation a tube pivoted at one end to p damage to the trucksupporting structure. 7 trary, in moving the'ram from its horizontalposition to In elevating the ram from its horizontal position,',in

position for transportation of the wire coils to the annealthat thechange from thehorizontal to the vertical position would be.accomplished by simply elevating the. ram in its horizontal position and'thereafter'releasing the lock pin 8, thus .allowingijthe ram 4 to pivotto its vertical position. Such a sequence ,ofoperations wouldallowiheram to swing downwardly very rapidly 'with possible On the cona verticalposition,1it iscontemplated that after the coils are positioned on theram in its horizontal position, the truck operator will then releaselocking pin Sand will then gradually raise the lift carriage andsupporting brackets, thus allowing the nose 4a of the ram to slide alongthefloor until the ramassumes 'its verticalposition; In lieu of slidingthe nose 4a of the ram along the floor, the truck operator m flyfif heso desires,inch' the truck forwardly consistent with therise ofthe liftcarriage'in'the uprights '2; 'j. Q

ltwill'be observed that the placing of the coilsjof wire in an'annealingfurnace is, in efiect,f a two'story operation; The annealing furnace 43is positioned onthe ground level, with the lift truck carrying.the'wiref coils on the floor next above. Upon arrival of the lift truckat the furnace with the superposed coilsfthe nose of the ramis insertedinto an openingjor recess in the annealing stem 45 of the furnace.The'nose 4a of the ram'is especially designed to'centertheram in'the'topof the annealing stem so that the coilsof wire may-be accurately-aligned'with the'annealing stem: jjj Asshown, the annealing furnace 43 has ayertically movable loading platform 46, which is raised to its upperlimits at or previous to the time of placing 'theframino'se 4a idtheannealingstem; The lowermostcoil' .of the superposed coils'will thus besubstantially disposed on 'saidplatformfi flhe truck operator by thenretractingthe pistonrodl 13'of the hydraulic cylinder'causesretractionof ribs 27 andIshoes 23 of'the ram to free 'it1fromthe 'wirecoils'. Uponlowering the platform 45 the, coils be transferred theram to theannealing'sten145. 'It'will be obvious that "the operations describedabove ram (the latter freeof wirefcoils and with the jcoil'retaining'means retracted) may be positioned as shown from the annealing stem tothe depending ram. "I'he'fcoil retaining-means may'thenbe actuated tohold the coils fastto the ram. The truck may then be driven 05 to astorage point where, by resting theilowermost 'coil on the'ramonthefloor'or storage rack, the truck may be backed away and the liftcarriage simultaneouslylowered to dispose the coils with their axes inhorizontal position. By 'fthenlocking the ram in its horizontal;position and releasing the coil retaining means, the truck, may further.be backed to remove the ram from the centers of the coils.

While a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated anddescribedhlereinbyflway of example, it will be'obvious that changes maybe made therein within the. spirit and scope of "the invention, and,therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the preciseiorm hereindisclosed, except'tinsofar. as' it may so be limited by the'a'ppendedclaims -Iclaim: i V, 1. For use with an industrialtruck hayingan upwardly said lift'carria'ge, means operative 'to normally maintains'aid ram means in a horizontal position toien gageja plurality of coilsarranged in side by side'relationship with their axes in a horizontalplane, said means being operable to permit said ram means to assume avertical dependent position with respect to said lift carriage uponupward movement of the latter, a plurality of circumferentially spacedribs pivoted at one end to said tube adjacent the pivotal connection ofsaid tube with said lift carriage, a shoe pivoted to the opposite end ofeach of said ribs, and means operative to swing said ribs and said shoesoutwardly about their pivots relative to the tube.

2. For use with an industrial truck having a vertically movable liftcarriage, of ram means comprising in combination a tube pivoted at oneend to said carriage means operative to normally maintain said rarnmeans in a horizontal position to engage a plurality of coils arrangedin side by side relationship with their axes in a horizontal plane, saidmeans being operable to permit said ram means to assume a verticaldependent position with respect to said lift carriage upon upwardmovement of the latter, a plurality'of circumferentially spaced ribspivoted at one end to said tube adjacent the pivotal connection of saidtube with said carriage, a shoe pivoted to the opposite end of each ofsaid ribs, a hydraulic cylinder positioned in said tube, and linkagemeans operatively connecting said hydraulic cylinder with said ribs andsaid shoes to swing the ribs and shoes outwardly about their pivotsrelative to the tube upon actuation of said hydraulic cylinder.

3. For use with an industrial truck having a vertically movable liftcarriage, of ram means comprising in combination a tube pivoted at oneend to said carriage, said ram means being normally maintained in ahorizontal position to engage a plurality of coils of wire arranged inside-by-side relationship with their axes in a horizontal plane, andbeing operable to assume a vertical dependent position with respect tosaid lift carriage upon upward movement of the latter, a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced ribs pivoted at one end to said tube adjacentthe pivotal connection of said tube with said carriage, a shoe pivotedto the opposite end of each of said ribs, a hydraulic cylinderpositioned in said tube, linkage means operatively connected to saidhydraulic cylinder and to said shoes to initially swing the latteroutwardly about their pivots relative to the tube upon actuation of saidhydraulic cylinder, and means cooperating between said last named meansand said ribs after initial swinging movement of said shoes tothereafter simultaneously swing both said shoes and ribs outwardly abouttheir pivots relative to said tube.

4. For use with an industrial truck having a vertically movable liftcarriage, of ram means comprising in combination a tube pivoted at oneend to said carriage, said ram means being normally maintained in ahorizontal position to engage a plurality of coils or wire arranged inside-by-side relationship with their axes in a horzontal plane, andbeing operable to assume a vertical dependent position with respect tosaid lift carriage upon upward movement of the latter, a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced ribs pivoted at one end to said tube adjacentthe pivotal connection of said tube with said carriage, a shoe pivotedto the opposite end of each of said ribs, a hydraulic cylinderpositioned in said tube, linkage means operatively connected to saidhydraulic cylinder and to said shoes to initially swing the latteroutwardly about their pivots relative to the tube upon actuation of saidhydraulic cylinder, cam follower carried by said last named means, andcam means associated with said ribs, said cam followers and said cammeans cooperating after initial swinging movement of said shoes tothereafter simultaneously swing both said shoes and said ribs outwardlyabout their pivots relative to said tube.

5. For use with an industrial truck having a vertically movable liftcarriage, a ram means comprising in combination a tube pivoted at oneend to said carriage and having a plurality of circumferentially spacedopenings therein adjacent its other end, a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced links pivoted to the outer surface of saidtube, each of said links having a cam surface for projection through oneof the openings in said tube, a plurality of circumferentially spacedribs pivoted to said tube adjacent the pivotalconnection of said tubewith said lift carriage, each of said ribs enclosing one of said linksand having engagement therewith, a shoe pivoted to the opposite end ofeach of said ribs, a hydraulic cylinder positioned in said tube, linkagemeans connected to said hydraulic cylinder and to said shoes toinitially swing the latter outwardly about their pivots relative to thetube upon actuation of said hydraulic cylinder, and cam followerscarried by said last named means for cooperation with the cam surfaceson said links after initial swinging movement of said shoes tothereafter simultaneously swing both said shoes and said ribs outwardlyabout their pivots relative to said tube.

6. For use with an industrial truck having a vertically movable liftcarriage, a ram means comprising in combination a tube pivoted at oneend to said carriage and having a plurality of circumferentially spacedopenings therein adjacent its other end, a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced links pivoted to the outer surface of saidtube, each of said links having a cam surface for projection through oneof the openings in said tube, a plurality of circumferentially spacedribs pivoted to said tube adjacent the pivotal connection of said tubewith said lift carriage, each of said ribs enclosing one of said linksand having engagement therewith, a shoe pivoted to the opposite end ofeach of said ribs, a hydraulic cylinder positioned in said tube, apiston block assembly connected to said hydraulic cylinder, springpressed means carried by said block assembly for guiding the latter insaid tube, linkage means connected to said block assembly and to saidshoes to initially swing the latter outabout their pivots relative tothe tube upon actuation of said hydraulic cylinder, and rollers carriedby said last named means for cooperation with the cam surfaces on saidlinks after initial swinging movement of said shoes to thereaftersimultaneously swing both said shoes and said ribs outwardly about theirpivots relative to the tube.

7. For use with an industrial truck having a vertically movable liftcarriage, a ram means comprising in combination a tube pivoted at oneend to said carriage and having a plurality of circumferentially spacedopenings therein adjacent its other end, a plurality of circumferentially spaced links pivoted to the outer surface of said tube, each ofsaid links having a cam surface for projection through one of theopenings in said tube, a plurality of circumferentially spaced ribspivoted to said tube adjacent the pivotal connection of said tube withsaid lift carriage, each of said ribs enclosing one of said links andhaving engagement therewith, a shoe pivoted to the opposite end of eachof said ribs, a hydraulic cylinder positioned in said tube, a pistonblock assembly having a plurality of circumferentially spaced recessesconnected to said hydraulic cylinder, shoes positioned in said recessesin said block assembly, spring means normally biasing said shoesoutwardly of said recesses into contact with the inner surface of thetube to guide the block assembly in said tube, linkage means connectedto said block assembly and to said shoes to initially swing the latteroutwardly about their pivots relative to the tube upon actuation of saidhydraulic cylinder, and rollers carried by said last named means forcooperation with the cam surfaces on said links after initial swingingmovement of said shoes to thereafter simultaneously swing both saidshoes and said ribs outwardly about their pivots relative to the tube.

8. A ram of the character described comprising a tube, a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced ribs pivoted at one end to said tube, a shoepivoted to the opposite end of "each of said ribs, a" hydrauliccylinderpositioned in r V; 7 7 References Cited in the file of thispatent said tube, linkage rn'eans operativelyconneeted to said i VUNITED STATES PATENTS e hydrauliticylinder and tosaid shoes toinitially-swing the Norton- L 211 7 latter outwardly about their pivotsrelative to the tube 5 Chubb et 1 July 2 1932 'upon'actuation of saidhydraulic'cylimier; and means 5 5 90 -N '1938 cooperating between saidlast named means and said ribs 7 r 2,206,121 I Pierce; J ly 19 afterinitial swinging movement of said shoes to there- 2,687,226; Ga tt Aug.24, 1954 after simultaneously swing both said shoes and ribs out-2,696,920 Anjesky .Dec. 14, 1954 wardly'about their pivots relativetosaid tube. 10 2,711,832 Cigliano June 28; 1955

